Detoxification of the body, through proper nutrition, is essential to maintain a healthy balance. The excess of food and drink at the end of the year gatherings and the beginning of the vacations may not only have left us with a couple of extra kilos but also a “resentful” liver and stomach. Karyn Reyna, a nutritionist at our clinic, gives us some recommendations to eliminate toxins and acquire a healthy lifestyle and diet.

• Stay well hydrated. Don’t just drink water, include fruits and vegetables in your daily meals. Carbonated beverages such as soda or alcohol dehydrate and do not quench thirst. In addition, they make the body work twice as hard to eliminate so many artificial ingredients through the kidneys and liver.
• Do physical exercise. It is a healthy practice that helps, among other things, regulate metabolic functions (temperature and digestion) and avoid excess weight. It is recommended to do physical activity 180 minutes a week; however, if you are a beginner or do not have much time to go to the gym, start exercising 2 times a week until you generate a habit that you can maintain over time.
• Eat vegetables daily. These should be part of your nutritional regimen. The ideal portion is equivalent to 2 palms of your hand together and should have different colors. Season your meals with natural seasonings (garlic, onion, pepper, cumin, rosemary, dill, bay leaf, tarragon, etc.) which enhance the flavor of your meals. Decrease salt consumption.
• Choose complex carbohydrates: potato, sweet potato, yucca, olluco, among others. Choose to eat menus instead of simple carbohydrates (rice, noodles, sugar, and sweets).
• If you are thinking of doing some kind of fasting, do it with nutritional counseling. Very low-calorie diets (less than 1000 calories) are not recommended in the long term because they do not meet the minimum requirements for healthy living. If you fast for long periods, you are likely to sacrifice your muscle reserves to reach the minimum daily calorie requirement.
• Get enough rest. Sleep and hormonal and metabolic regulation are essential for the body and even more so when you practice any physical activity or if you have a pathology or disease. It is recommended 7 to 8 continuous hours to be able to recover.

Remember:

A balanced diet not only promotes detoxification but also strengthens our immune system and contributes to overall vitality and well-being.

Karyn Reyna
Nutritionist at Clínica Ricardo Palma